Machine eok



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JNO. GREENLEAF, OF LOWELL, `MASSACHUSETLS.

MACHINE non. soFrENING LEATHER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,807, dated September 30, 1856.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, .Jol-1N- GREENLEAF, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a novel and useful Machine for Softening and Graining Leather; and I hereby declare that the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings and letters of reference thereon, constitute a lucid, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

In referring to said drawings, Figure l denotesa plan ortop View; Fig. 2, a front side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, one end elevation of it; Fig. 4, the opposite end view; Fig. 5, a transverse and vertical section on line A, B, Fig. l. Fig. 6 denotes a longitudinal and vertical section on line C, D, Fig, l. i

A uniform and efficient softening of leather is necessary after it has been tanned, to fit it for use for various purposes, such as enameling and for patent leather, and the graining of leather is equally necessary, which consists of breaking the grain or hair side of it, to render it pliable and give it the proper finish to be` enameled, or for many other uses, which has been heretofore done by hand.

The object of my invention is to do the same thing by my machine operated by power to soften or grain the leather with great speed and in the most efficient manner.

Therefore the nature of my invention consists in softening leather by placing the hair side of it between aflexible surfaced revolving cylinder and a flexible surfaced moving carriage, with the flesh side of the leather passing around the edge of a metallic blade placed nearly between the cylinder and carriage, and then turning the cylinder and moving the carriage with the leather thereon by any convenient motor until it is suiliciently softened, and for graining the leather, the process of which is exactly the same as for softeningLonly that the flesh side of the leather is placed next the cylinder and carriage and the hair side next to the blade, as will be seen in my machine hereafter described.

To enable persons skilled inthe art to which my invent-ion appertains to construct and carry out the same, I will describe it as follows: I construct a frame of wood, seen at A in the several figures of the drawings. To the top of this frame is suspended two ber or any other desired flexible substance,

seen at A2, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, which hold these pieces D2 together, which with rubber A2 constitute the carriage or apron, which is guided on the hexagone by the end pieces L2, Figs. 3 and 4. The `object of forming the hexagone in that shape and the pieces D2, to lit them isfor moving the carriage or apron by turning one of the hexagons D around which the aprons A2 revolve by turning the crank E2, Figs. l and 2.

The apron or carriage A2, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, is flexibly sustained at its center by `rolls V, Figs. 5 and 6, which are suspended so as to revolve in the bar S, Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6, and thisbar which moves up and down in the grooves U, formed in the uprights A3, Figs. 5 and 6, is pressed upward by the spring T, Figs. 5 and 6. This spring rests on and is fastened to the girt- V2 by the screws l/V, Figs. 5 and 6. By this arrangement the carriage and leather upon it is pressed up against the cylinder B with suilicient force to soften the leather, when it is moved around the edge of the blade I.

.To each end of the frame A I fasten an upright A2, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the upper ends of them being slotted, :as seen at Z, Figs. l, 4, 5 and 6, in which is placed the Lcylinder by its shaft X, the `cylinder being covered by vulcanized rubber or any elastic substance, seen at M, Figs. l, 2, 4, 5, and 6. This cylinder is provided with a pulley, seen at G, Figs. l, 2, 3, 4 and 6, by which it is rotated by band E leading from the pulley F, on the hexagon D, Fig. 5.

Back of the cylinder B near its lower surface and just above the carriage or apron A2 is placed a guide, seen at H, connected to the uprights A'3 by the hooks H2, Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The front edge of this guide is made concave, as seen Fig. 5, so as to conduct the edge of the leather J up over the edge of the metal blade I, so that it may be conducted back by the cylinder B with its surface M, after the leatherw is passed in under the blade I, and softened or grained, as the case may be, in manner seen at J, Fig.

.5. The blade I is held in the desired position, or to the uprights A2, by the hooks G2,

Figsl, 2, 3 and 5, and can be easily removed to place the side of leather in the machine for softening or graining by raising one end of the blade above one of the hooks G2, and then drawing it from the other hook G2, and may be as conveniently replaced with the side of leather, seen at J, Fig. 5, thereon, as Will be readily understood.

'I construct a rod, as seen at Q, Figs. l, 2, and 3, through the top end of Which passes the shaft X, of the Cylinder B. The rod Q. is prevented from slipping off the shaft X by the hook F2, Fig. 4. The lower end of the rod Q is connected to the lever O by the joint J 2. rlhis lever has its turning point or fulcrum at I2. A spring P, Figs. l, 2 and 4L, fastened to the frame A holds this lever and cylinder B in position by means of the rod Q, While the leather is being softened or grained, as the ease may be, and by pressing in the spring l), and moving down the out end of the lever O, the cylinder B is easily raised to allow the leather J, Fig. 5, and blade l to be conveniently removed from the machine after the leather has been softened or grained, or both, as may be desired.

I elaim- The combination of the blade I, With the cylinder B and M, and apron Carriage A2 and D2 for softening and graining leather, When arranged and operated essentially in the manner and for the purposes fully set forth. A

JOI-IN GREENLEAF. Witnesses:

CHAs. E. BARNES, E. W. SCOTT. 

